TweakTown Test System Setup

Processor(s): Intel Core 2 Quad Q6600 @ 3GHz (333MHz x 9)

Cooling: Corsair Nautilus500 (Supplied by Corsair) with Arctic Cooling MX-2 Thermal Compound (Supplied by Arctic Cooling)

Motherboard(s): GIGABYTE X48-DQ6 (Supplied by GIGABYTE)

Memory: 2 X 1GB Kingston PC6400 DDR-2 3-3-3-10 (KHX6400D2ULK2/2G) (Supplied by Kingston)

Hard Disk(s): Seagate 250GB 7200RPM SATA-2 7200.10 (Supplied by Seagate)

Operating System: Windows Vista SP1

Drivers: Forceware 175.16 (9 Series) 177.34 (GTX 280)

IBuyPower Australia Test System Setup

Processor(s): Intel Core 2 Quad QX9650 @ 4GHz (400MHz x 10)

Cooling: Swiftech Apogee GTX Block (CPU) 3x 120mm Radiator, MCP655-B Pump

Motherboard(s): EVGA 780i SLI

Memory: 2 X 2GB OCZ Reaper X 1066MHz DDR-2

Hard Disk(s): Western Digital Velociraptor 150GB 10,00RPM SATA

Operating System: Windows Vista SP1

Drivers: Forceware 175.16 (9 Series) 177.34 (GTX 280)

As you can see above, the upgrade to the 4GHz system is quite the jump. Let's not carry on though, it's time to get stuck straight into it.

3DMark06

Version and / or Patch Used: Build 110

Developer Homepage: http://www.futuremark.com

Product Homepage: http://www.futuremark.com/products/3dmark06/

Buy It Here

3DMark06 is the very latest version of the "Gamers Benchmark" from FutureMark. The newest version of 3DMark expands on the tests in 3DMark05 by adding graphical effects using Shader Model 3.0 and HDR (High Dynamic Range lighting) which will push even the best DX9 graphics cards to the extremes.

3DMark06 also focuses on not just the GPU but the CPU using the AGEIA PhysX software physics library to effectively test single and Dual Core processors.

Straight away we can see that 3DMark06 absolutely loves the massive CPU clock and really gives us some huge numbers. Our single card is well and truly on its way to 20k.